FEATURE CAR 1938 ROLLS-ROYCE WRAITH
THE WRAITH THAT CROSSED CONTINENTS When your profession trains you to the most thorough approach, a matter of mere distance won’t stop the search for the right car WORDS: RICHARD HOLDSWORTH P H OTO G R A P H Y: R I C H A R D H O L D S WO R T H , HOWARD WR AIGHT
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oward Wraight is a medical professional specialising in early-phase clinical research in Melbourne, and a leader in that world. He is also the President of the Victorian branch of the Rolls-Royce Owners’ Club of Australia and is not someone to let 10,000 miles and a few continents get in his way in the search for a pristine pre-war example of the marque. Howard already owned a splendid 1990 Silver Spirit ll, but he was greatly drawn to pre-war Rolls-Royces and this desire was heightened at the Club’s Federal Rally in 2017. It was held in Canberra, the country’s political centre, and attended by cars and owners from across the country. I’ll let Howard explain. ‘It was my first National Rally and on this crisp winter’s morning as the cars gathered for the customary Rally Dawn Patrol, the sight of prewar Rolls-Royce cars in the early light stole my imagination. To say the cars were charming and very elegant was an understatement.’ Howard had entered the Silver Spirit ll in the concours and to his surprise and delight it had won its class. But that didn’t take away his immediate
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